By ASSOCIATED PRESS AND KOMO

Published 9:17 am, Tuesday, July 30, 2013

WENATCHEE - A wildfire burning south of Wenatchee in the Colockum Pass area west of the Columbia River has grown to about 66 square miles.

Fire spokeswoman Karen Ripley reported on Monday the fire has burned three homes and several outbuildings since breaking out Saturday, although a spokesman for fire managers, Rick Issackson, told KPQ-AM the five homes were lost in addition to other structures destroyed in the fire

About 60 residences have been evacuated.

Ripley told KPQ Tuesday the fire is moving south and evacuations may be recommended for some people living in Kittitas County. She says evacuations may be lifted for some areas in Chelan County where the fire has passed.

Roads to the fire area, from both Kittitas and Chelan counties are closed. The fire is only about 5 percent contained and officials expect it to continue to grow.

"It just keeps getting bigger and bigger," said Joe Mandoli, whose home is threatened by the fire. "The wind was blowing right toward the house, the brush is right up the hill towards my home."

Firefighters are working on improving containment lines on the north and west ends of the fire. About 300 people are working on the fire, with assistance from multiple helicopters.

About 40 homes are threatened in the area about 20 miles from Wenatchee. Residents have been evacuated and the Red Cross has set up a shelter at a church in the city.

Officials said late Saturday night that two firefighters suffered minor injuries, but did not elaborate.

A community meeting will be held Monday evening at Chelan County Fire Station No. 17 at 7:30 p.m. for residents living in the fire zone.

Meanwhile, fire officials say they are starting to get control over a large wildfire burning near Goldendale, Wash., on top of Satus Pass.

Spokesman Randy Shepard of the interagency fire management team says the fire has grown to almost 32 square miles, but it is now about 25 percent contained. He says weather conditions are favorable for more progress on Monday.

He says fire officials are confident they will have a line around the fire within the next few days.

The fire covered about 27 square miles on Sunday and has been growing to the east through rough terrain. It's about 7 miles from the small town of Bickleton, but Shepard says fire officials do not expect the fire to get near the village.

Highway 97 is still closed between Goldendale and Toppenish and will remain closed as long as necessary for safety reasons.

About 1,200 people are fighting the fire. A few more homes have been added to the evacuation notices but no structures have been destroyed. The fire threatens about 144 structures, including about 70 residences.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the fire danger in much of Eastern Washington, including Goldendale, Tri-Cities, Yakima, Walla Walla, Wenatchee and Moses Lake.